English Teacher Blog

I, desperately, needed an idea that would get my kids up and moving, talking and collaborating, and, most importantly, one that would spark interest in the text itself. Then, I found- The Gallery Walk.

It’s inevitable. We will all get that truly negative, nasty, hurtful, and uncalled for parent email. These can and will come to us for a variety of reasons throughout our teaching careers. Generally, a parent is upset and wishes to place the blame on the teachers because the alternative is taking that blame on themselves and their child. This is difficult for parents, especially where their precious babies are concerned.

In battling my own teacher burnout- I have found a few tips that really seem to help, and frankly made me a better teacher overall. Without these, I would not have found the joy that I had lost in this amazing profession. Teaching is a challenging profession, arguably one of the most difficult jobs one can have. It can be profoundly rewarding one minute, yet devastating and heart-breaking the next. The hours are long, and our general need for perfection (the- my student deserve the best from me mentality) can have long-lasting effects on our health, family, and mental wellbeing if we allow it. These five tips changed my world for the better- use these to help you make teaching manageable and fun again!

What is talking to the text? Simply stated, it is must having a conversation with the text. Giving your thoughts right back to the words on the page. Leaving your thoughts, ideas, questions, comments, and light bulb moments all over the passage. This is very similar to text annotations and is an integral part of teaching those close reading strategies.

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About Me:

I am the founder of Teach BeTween the Lines. I have been teaching for over ten years; I have loved growing young minds through literature and the art of crafting the written word. Currently, I am working on my doctorate in Education from the University of Minnesota, and I hold an M.A. in Education from St. Mary’s University, Minnesota. In my free time, I love to write short stories, especially in those cold Minnesota winters. I am supported by a wonderful family made better by the addition of my two beautiful children.